Twentyfive to Life
by forensicsfan
Summary: NS friendship. Post-ep to "Stalker". I just wondered what happened to Nick afterwards.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own them, I didn't create them, and I don't profit from them. As always, coffee's on me if George and Jorja want to join me.

**Author's Note:** I've watched "Stalker" many times and I have to say that it is one of my favorite episodes on so many levels. However, I often wondered why the rest of the team left Nick alone in that room at the end and exactly what happened after that. This is my version of a post-ep.

* * *

"Twenty-five years to life, Nick. It's over." Sara watched as Nick stared through the two-way glass at Nigel Crane who kept up a constant mantra. 

_I am one, who am I?_

Nick shook his head sadly. "It's not over for me; it's over for Jane Galloway." He knew it would never be over for him. He had never liked having people peer into his private life too deeply, a reaction he supposed that stemmed from his molestation as a child. He heard a murmur of words and then felt Catherine's hand on his shoulder before she filed out of the room. She was the only one who knew his secret and he knew that her touch spoke volumes.

By the time he turned around, the rest of the nightshift crew had left him alone and as he watched the officer take Nigel Crane out of the interrogation room on the other side of the two-way glass he felt a wave of emotion he couldn't quite identify. He felt so alone and now he didn't even feel safe going to his own house which was now a crime scene.

The sound of a door opening caused Nick to snap his head in that direction. He felt a sense of relief that Brass was standing there. The last thing he really wanted right now was more of Grissom's well-intentioned platitudes about self-actualization. Forensic psychology wasn't going to help him make sense of why someone had chosen to stalk him; it just completely creeped him out. He put on the best smile he could muster as he noticed the concerned expression on the homicide detective's face. "Hey, Jim."

"Nicky." Brass smiled. "You doing ok?"

Nick nodded braver than he felt. "Yeah." He didn't feel ok, and wasn't sure if he would ever really feel ok, but he didn't want to burden anyone with his pain.

Brass looked at him a little uncertainly. He had a soft spot in his heart for Nick and felt very paternal towards him. "You know you can't go home right now."

Nick just nodded, feeling a well of tears threatening to spill over. He blinked them back.

"Do you have a friend you can stay with?" Brass furrowed his brow as he made a mental list of options.

Nick shook his head; anyone he knew would either be out clubbing at this hour or at home asleep. There was really only one place he wanted to go at the moment. "Can you just take me to the lab and I'll call someone in the morning?"

Brass nodded in understanding. "Sure." He knew that Nick probably wouldn't admit it, but he needed to be around people he trusted right now.

As they walked out toward the parking lot, Nick couldn't shake the feeling that everyone seemed to be staring at him, whether they were or not. Neither he nor Brass said much of anything as they drove towards the lab and as he eased his department issued Taurus into a parking slot, Brass turned towards Nick. "If you need anything, let me know."

Nick just nodded and slid out of the vehicle, intent on settling himself on the break room couch until he could figure out what to do. He hadn't been there more than five minutes when Sara sauntered into the room.

Her eyebrows shot up curiously. "What are you doing here? You need to be resting." She looked concerned and sad all at the same time.

Nick looked defeated. He really didn't want to talk about why he'd decided to come to the lab rather than a hotel. The Vicodin he'd taken before everything went to hell had kicked in and he was exhausted.

Sara furrowed her brow. "Do you need a place to stay?" It had taken her a moment to realize that of course Nick couldn't go home, which is probably why he was at the lab.

Nick looked at her a bit surprised at the offer and then found the tears that he'd been able to blink back earlier had begun to form again.

Sara pursed her lips together as she studied him. "Let me just go talk to Grissom for a minute and I'll take you over to my apartment and get you settled." She really didn't think that Nick should be left alone at all and she fully intended to stay with him so that he felt more secure.

"You don't have to…" Nick's words trailed off as he felt emotion choke his throat.

"Nonsense, Nick. You need a place to stay and I have room." Her tone softened. "Besides, you're not going to get any sleep in here." She smirked at him.

"Vicodin does wonders." Nick replied closing his eyes and leaning his head back to rest on the couch.

Sara's expression clouded again. "Your medication is still at the house, isn't it?"

He grimaced a little as he answered her. "Yeah, I think so."

"We'll take care of it. Don't worry." She replied gently. "Let me just go talk to Grissom and I'll be right back."

Nick didn't say anything; he just sat there with his eyes closed trying to shut out the world, thankful that the pain killers had alleviated at least some of the pain from his wrist and ribs. He hadn't realized that he'd drifted off to sleep until he felt a hand on his shoulder and then he almost jumped out of his skin, his eyes widened in fear.

Sara looked hurt, sad really that she'd startled him. She smiled softly at him as he muttered an apology. "Hey, don't apologize, Nick." She held something up in her hand at eye level. "Catherine thought you might need these. I didn't realize she'd picked them up."

"Thanks." He was grateful that his medication was one less thing he needed to worry about.

"I talked to Grissom, so let's get out of here and get you settled, ok?" Sara smiled at him again, hoping that he didn't think that she was feeling sorry for him. She knew what it was like to live through a personal hell and think that no one understood, and she also understood Nick's need to hold onto his privacy. She'd guarded hers fiercely and she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to tell anyone about her own hellish upbringing.

"Are you sure?" Nick didn't want to put her out, but he didn't really want to stay at a hotel either. He also wasn't sure that one of his other friends would really understand. Sara saw stuff like this all day long and he knew that he wouldn't have to explain it to her.

"I wouldn't have offered if I wasn't sure." She dangled her keys in her hand and smirked. "C'mon, you need to get some rest somewhere a little more comfortable."

"Ok." For the first time that night, Nick's tiny smile was genuine. He was glad that Sara hadn't lost her ability to tease him, he wasn't sure he could handle the pity he expected from everyone. He was sure that Catherine would have offered to let him stay at her house, but he really didn't want to be mothered. If Warrick had offered, he was sure that guilt was what would have motivated him to some extent; he blamed himself for not being able to keep Nigel Crane from pushing Nick through the second story window.

They slowly made their way out of the lab towards her SUV and with a little bit of effort Nick slid into the passenger seat. He really didn't know what to say and was grateful when Sara turned the radio on to some pop station, smiling as her heard her softly singing along.

As they sat at a light waiting for it to turn green, Sara glanced over at him. "I'm sorry, Nick."

He looked at her a bit oddly; he wasn't sure what she was apologizing for.

"I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I know that it's not over, I didn't mean to sound like putting him behind bars would make it all ok." She didn't notice for a moment that the light had turned green until a car behind her honked.

"Sara, don't worry about it." He stared out the window as she drove. "It's just something I'm going to have to deal with, that's all."

She pulled into the lot of her apartment complex a few minutes later and turned off the engine, neither one of them saying anything as they climbed the steps to her apartment. As they walked in, Sara opted to change the subject because she knew that the topic was still too raw. "Warrick was going to swing by and get some clothes for you."

Nick felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach, and shook his head. "He doesn't need to do that. I think I'll just go shopping."

Sara winced. "Did he…?" She couldn't complete her sentence.

"He was wearing my clothes." There was a catch in Nick's voice as he sank into Sara's couch.

Sara steeled herself and sat next to him, putting her hand on his thigh. "I'm sorry." She furrowed her brow and looked at him thoughtfully. "Look, why don't you get some sleep and when you wake up I'll take you shopping."

Nick felt his throat constrict with emotion, both from the whole hellish situation he'd been through that night and Sara's kindness. She'd always been his friend, but still it was hard for him to accept this kind of gesture from her, from anyone really. He just nodded and found himself blinking back tears again.

"Ok, it's settled. Now let's get you settled." She stood up and motioned for him to follow her, pausing in the hallway at what appeared to be her bedroom. "You can sleep in here and I'll sleep on the couch."

Nick shook his head in protest. "Sara, I can't let you do that."

Sara crossed her arms over her chest and lifted both brows. "Yes, you can. You have bruised ribs, a sprained wrist and a concussion. I'm not making you sleep on my couch. I can sleep just about anywhere."

Nick was too tired to argue and he gave her a tired smile. "Ok." As he settled himself on top of the comforter, he looked at her inquisitively. "When did you tell Grissom you'd be back at the lab?" He hoped he didn't sound the way he felt. He really didn't want to be alone, but he was afraid to tell her that.

She paused by the doorway. "I'm off for the rest of the night in case you need anything. I'll just be out in the living room." She smiled at him and then stepped out into the hallway.

"Sara?" There was a definite waver in Nick's voice.

Sara turned back towards him, concern flickering across her features. "Yeah?"

His fear of being alone overcame his fear of being vulnerable. "Do you think you could stay in here with me for a while? I don't really want to be alone." He sounded scared and his voice was thick with unspent emotion.

"Yeah." Her voice was earnest and she walked over and gently climbed onto the bed next to him, reaching over to take his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze. "I'm here."

Nick felt tears slip down his cheek and he smiled at her as he squeezed her hand back. "Thanks."

Sara scooted a bit closer to him as she laced her fingers with his and rested her head against his shoulder. "Hey, anytime. That's what friends are for."

_**The End**_


End file.
